There are no Republican presidential frontrunners and the chances that Jeb Bush will come out victorious in Iowa or New Hampshire or both should not be ruled out — notwithstanding his positions on immigration and educational standards,
Politico reported.
The former Florida governor announced Tuesday that he was
actively considering a presidential run.
Observers agree that Bush may be a stronger candidate than some have assumed despite, his unpopularity with conservative opponents of immigration reform and common core educational standards.
Talk radio host
Steve Deace in Des Moines, Iowa, describes Bush as "on the wrong side of every issue we're the angriest about right now," Politico reported.
But an unidentified Iowa Republican operative told Politico that "there's a lane for Jeb here. The evangelicals get all the attention, but most Republicans who caucus are mainstream. They want to shake up government, not blow up government."
In New Hampshire, veteran Republican operative Steve Duprey told Politico, "This is probably the most wide open New Hampshire primary I've seen in my 44 years of involvement."
He added, "It may very well be that we have three or four people emerge from New Hampshire: someone does well with social conservatives, someone does well with libertarians [and] someone does well with moderate, more mainstream conservatives."
Republican Gov. Terry Branstad said that Iowans are "very open-minded and welcoming people."
Bush will "have to answer tough questions, but I wouldn't rule anything out," Branstad told Politico.
Mitt Romney, the candidate who would become the 2012 GOP presidential candidate, came in a
close second in Iowa and was
victorious in New Hampshire.
The Bush family can tap in to a network of political and financial supporters developed over decades in both Iowa and New Hampshire, according to Politico.
In 1988, George H.W. Bush won the New Hampshire primaries and ran third in the Iowa caucuses, yet ultimately captured the presidency. George W. Bush won the 2000 Iowa caucuses and came in second in the New Hampshire primary on his way to the White House.
New Hampshire has an open primary that could encourage independents to back a GOP moderate and skip what is shaping up to be a non-competitive Democratic primary — presuming Hillary Clinton runs, according to Politico.
It is also looking like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie — like Bush, a comparatively moderate Republican — plans to compete in Iowa rather than skipping the caucuses as some had speculated, Politico reported.